We’ve realized the impact that Google’s tools can have for helping businesses in rural areas be able to stand out online and be easily found.
Quinten Saathoff
Co-founder & CEO
Nebraska photographers Karsen Felzien and Quinten Saathoff learned about the power of online marketing early. Their investment in SEO on their website paid off when they were found and hired by National Geographic to take photos for Loyal, a book about service dogs. Soon they began sharing tips with other local businesses that wanted to raise their visibility. Looking for a way to further increase their impact, Karsen and Quinten launched Caspian Creates in 2020, a digital marketing, advertising, and content studio. “For us, it’s all about helping other people realize their creative visions,” says Karsen, the company’s CMO. Using Google tools, Caspian Creates has helped local businesses move online, stand out, connect with new customers, and grow–especially valuable for those brick-and-mortar stores whose trade was impacted by COVID-19.
Today, Caspian Creates uses Google Analytics to show clients how users interact with websites and ads, so they can make data-driven decisions. “We show clients exactly which demographics they should focus on,” says Quinten, the company’s CEO. Google Workspace tools streamline operations: the company organizes and shares client files via Google Drive. Workflows set up with Google Forms and Google Sheets have reduced client onboarding time from two weeks to 15 minutes. A self-described “automation nerd,” Quinten appreciates Google’s integration with other apps. “It allows us to focus on being creative and not get stuck in the weeds doing paperwork,” he says. Caspian Creates has served more than 60 clients in eastern and central Nebraska. Their revenue grew 50 percent in 2022; their goal for the future is to keep making technology more accessible to rural businesses. “Never underestimate the power of digital tools,” Karsen says. “If we hadn’t taken advantage of Google tools, we wouldn’t have reached where we are today as quickly as we did.”